System of separating sewage.



J. P. BALL.

SYSTEM 0F SEPARATING SEWAGE.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY 2|. I9I3.

1,154,597, PaIenIedsepI. 28, 1915.

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COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH OO-WABHlN-UTON. D. C.

J. P. BALL.

SYSTEM 0F SEPARATING SEWAGE. APPLlcATioN man 1uLY 21.1913.

PatentedSep. 28, 1915.

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J. P. BALL.

SYSTEM or sEPARATlNG sEwAGE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 2l I9I3.

IateHtQdSept. 28, 1915.

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SYSTEM OF SEPARATING- SEWAGE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 28, i915.

Application :filed July 21, 1913. Serial No. 780,116.

T0 all wlw/m, t may concern Be it known that I, JOHN P. BALL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of illinois, have invented a certaink new and useful System of Separating Sewage, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of my specification.

`My invention relates to a system Vof separating and grading of sewage, whereby the heavierparticles will be separated from the lighter; having for its object the provision of means which may be operated by power obtained from any suitable source, centrifugal force being utilized for the disintegration or separation of the sewage, separating and confining the particles of sewage of different specific gravities whereby a portion of the sewage, such as grease, acids, and the like may be held in suspension, and the various portions of the sewage treated and handled as may be desired; the system contemplating a series ofv revolving elements and chambers connected in series, so that the initial separation or disintegration may be subjected to the action of the succeeding members or elements of the system, so that the various separated portions of sewage will again be separately treated or disintegrated as will more fully appear from the following detailed description.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of the preferred form of my system, portionsl of the top or covering means being shown broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line X-X of Fig. Ll. Fig. 3 is a perspective view, looking downward, of thecentral or initial sewage receivingv member or basin. Fig. 4L is a top plan view of a modified form of my improved system; certain portions of the tops or covering 1ne1nbers being shown broken away in order to more clearly illustrate the internal construction. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line Y-Y of Fig. 4, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the particular eXemplification .of my invention as illustrated in the drawings, the sewage is conveyed to the mechanism through the sewer or conduit A, the outlet or discharge end whereofI is merely illustrated, it being understood, of course, -that'my system'- contemplates means preferably located at a lower level than the outlet of the sewer or conduit so that the sewage may flow readily into the device and the sewage or hydraulic head used to operate the various mechanisms or portions of my system if so desired.

rllhe conduit or sewer A connects with a suitable basin or pit B which is preferably provided with a series of concentric cylin-V drical partitions 6, 7, and 8, shown of. differentk heights, see Fig. 2, so that the basin or pit interior will be divided intoV concentrically arranged compartments having communication with each other merely at the upper part ofthe pit or basin B. rEhe walls and bottom ofthe pit or basin B, as well as the concentric partitions G, .7, and 8, may be composed of any suitable material such as brick, concrete, and ythe like; while thertop of the basin or pit may be provided with a cover) which may be made removable, or merely a portion thereof, so that access to the respective compartments may be had. rlhe cover 9 may also be employed to support the sewer outlet and various operating elements hereinafter to be described.

Concentrically mounted in the pit or basin B, and preferably at a. point concentric with the aXis of the'sewer outlet or orifice, I provide a shaft l0 having suitable bearings as for example at ll in the bottom of the pit, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, while the upper portion of the shaftlin Fig. 5 is also shown provided with a belt-receiving pulley or wheel 12 which latter is driven by any suitable motive power, so that the shaftl() may be evolved at the desired speed if other power, other than that derived from Vthe sewage head, is employed. The upper end yof the shaft 10 may be provided with suitable bearings in the wall of the conduit A as will be readily understood from the .constructions illustrated. I

The shaft 10 is provided with a gyrator or outwardly discharging turbine wheel 13V at the orifice or immediately beneath the orifice .of the sewer or conduit A. as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3;V theturbinefwheel having the usual vanes. or curved ribs so Athat the central feeding of sewage thereto lwill not only induce its rapid rotation, but

also .induce the disintegration or separation of the particles of sewage of dierent specific gravities through the action of the rapidly rotating turbine wheel. The rotating wheel 13 will cause the heavier particles to be thrown into the outer compartment intermediate of the outer wall of basin or pit B and the partition 6, while the lighter particles will be thrown into the compartments intermediate of partitions 6, 7, and 8. The partitions G, 7, and S may be made of different heights as shown, thus permitting the lighter substances or liquid, should the compartments become filled, to overflow into the compartment or chamber containing the lighter material; partition 6 being also of a height sufficient to intercept such lighter particles as may be thrown or partially carried by the heavier particles; and the eX- tremely Vlight or liquid portion of the sewage may be allowed to pass through perforations near the axis of the gyrator or turbine 13 into the central compartment formed by partition 8. The pitl or basin B, in which the initial separation or disintegration takes place, is located at a higher level or different horizontal plane than are the additional separators or chambers now to be described.

My improved system in its preferred adaptation contemplates a number of separating elements or basins arranged in series; the intermediate elements or basins corresponding in number with the number of compartments or chambers in the initial separator B; with each element or basin communicating with or receiving from a separate compartment of the initial basin or element B. As the separator B is provided with three compartments, 1 show three intermediate or subsidiary elements or basins C, D, and E, which in turn are each provided with three chambers or compartments produced by the inner-partitions 6u and 7a, see 2; the construction and arrangement of the three subsidiary basins C, D, and lt, being indentical. The separating elements C, D, and E, of the system as illustrated in Figs, 1 and 2, are all located preferably beneath the plane of the bottom of the basin or pit B.

' The separating elements or pits C, D, and E may be composed of any suitable materialV such as brick, concrete, and the like, and provided with the chambers, as previously described, correspondingr in number with the chambers or compartments of basin or pit B. Each of the three pits or basins C, D, and E is provided with a centrally located revoluble shaft 10a, having suitable bearings in the bottom of the pits, with the upper ends of the shaft 1()a provided with any suitable driving mechanism, as for example gearing 14C, which in turn is driven by gear 15 secured at the lower end of revoluble shaft 16 suitably mounted in the pit and above the basins C, D, and E;

it being understood that each of the inter-- mediate basins C, D, and E, is provided with a shaft similar to the shaft 101L shown in Fig. 2, having gearing at the upper end, with a similar shaft 16 located adjacentto each intermediate basin, as can be seen from Fie. 1.

The revoluble shaft 10'LL of each intermediate basin is provided with a saucer shaped member 17 adapted to receive the material resulting from the initial separation `in initial tanlr or basin B. The basins C, D, and E receive separated sewage from different compartments in basin B; for example basin E, in Fig. 2, receives the separated sewage by means of pipe 18 fromthe outer compa rtment or chamber of basin B, while basin D receives separated. sewage from the coinpartment between walls 7 and 8 of basin B by means of conduit 1S, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and basin C receives separated sewage from the intermediate compartmentof basin B by means of conduit 18h, see Fig. 1; the various conduits leading from basin B being preferably provided with valves as shown at 19, see Fig. 2, whereby the fiow from basin B to the intermediate basins may be' controlled or shut off.

lt is evident from the construction just described that the initially separated sewage, or portions of different specific gravity, is again independently treated or rather subjected to further separation by means of the rapidly rotating saucer shaped plate 17 onto which the conduits 18, 18?L and 1Sb discharge. The rapid rotation of saucer member 17 tends to further separate, by centrifugal force, vthe portion discharged therein from basin B by means of the conduits.

In the form ofthe system as illustrated in Fig. 1, 1 provide another or third lot of separating elements or basins, preferably arranged in a plane beneath the bottoms of the intermediate basins C, D, and E, and composed of nine separating elements arranged in three series; the series comprising three elements for each intermediate element. As shown in Fig. 1, the intermediate basins C, D, and E are each connected to a series of final separating elements composed of the basinsCl, C2, and C3, which are connected with the three separate chambers of basin C; basins D1, D2, and D3, connected with separate chambers of basin D, and basins E1,E2, and E3 connected with the three separate chambers of basin E. As I have chosen to illustrate the intermediate basins C, D, and E with three chambers,1 therefore, prefer to employ a final series consisting of three basins or elements to correspond therewith.- In referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that basin or element C1 receives material from the inner chamber or compartment of basin G by means ofthe conduit 20, basin or element C2 receives material from the intermediate compartment of basin C'by means of conduit21 basin C3 receives material from the outer compartment of basin C, by means of conduit 22. Basin VD1 receives material from the inner chamber of basin D by means of conduit 23, basin D? receives material from the intermediate compartment of basin D by means of conduit 24, and basin D3 receives material from the outer compartment of basin D by means of conduit 25. Basin El receives material from the inner compartment of basin E by means of conduit 26; basin E2 receives material from the intermediate compartment of basin E by means of conduit 27, and basin E3 receives material from the outer Vcompartment of basin E by Ymeans of conduit 28. It will be understood, of course, that all of the conduits just referred to are preferably provided with shut-0H valves or cocks as indicated at 29, more clearly shown in Fig. 2. rIhe final pits or basins are also shown divided into separate chambers or compartments by means of the partitions or walls 6b and 7b; while the material conveyed through the conduits from the intermediate basins is preferably discharged into cylinh drical sheet iron drums or circulary tanks 30 provided with closed tops, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2, and provided with the downwardly extendingbaffle member or partition 31 whereby the material entering the drums or circular tanks is compelled to ow toward the bottom of the tanks or drums. These circular tanks -or drums are mounted on revoluble shafts as shown at 32,

Vhaving suitable bearings in the pits or basins, with the upper ends of the shafts shown provided with gearing as at 33 which meshes with gearing 34 secured at the lower j ybasin or tank will suice.

end of a shaft as shown at 35 in Fig. 2, which shaft or shafts arel rotated by any suitable means. The tanks are also provided with depending partitions or walls 36 and 37 as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the tanks are divided into ya number of compartments connected at the bottom; the walls depending to dilerent extents as shown, with the wall 36 shorter than the wall 37 which is intermediate of the wall 36 and the outer wall of the tank, so that the lighter material will rise between baflie member 31 and wall 36, while the somewhat heavier material will rise or crowd upward between walls 36 and 37 and the very heavy material will, by action of centrifugal force, crowd up adjacent the outer wall of the basin or drum. As all of the final basins of the system as illustrated in Fig. 1 are similar in construction and operation, the disclosure made in Fig. 2 together with thedescription of a single In Fig. 2, the material from the intermediate chamber of basin E is discharged into the drum or tank 30 by the feed pipe or conduit 27 and by reason of bafie ,member 31 is compelled to iow toward the bottom of the tank orrcylindrical drum, with the action of centrifugal force tending to move the matter as previously stated; it being understood thatthe tank 30 revolvesl with the shaft 32.

TheY tanks 30 are provided with outlets or conduits, corresponding in number with the chambers with which the tanksjor drums are provided; for example the tank or drum as shown in Fig. 2, is provided with twov walls or partitions 36 and 37, whereby the tank or drum interior is divided into three chambers or compartments. These outlets or conduits are indicated in Fig. 2, where the tank is shown provided with three compartments, by the reference characters 38, 39, and 40; the outlet 38 communicating with the upper end of the outer compartment discharges.

into the compartment formed by the inner wall .or partition; conduit 39 discharges from the intermediate compartment or chamberl of the tank and into the .outer chamber of the element or basin; while conduit 40 discharges from the inner compartment of the drum or cylinder and into the intermediate chamber formed by concentric `partitions or walls of the element or basin E2 as shown in Fig. 2; the conduits being preferably arranged so as to control the How therethrough. All of the :linal elements or tanks are provided with a series of take-oft1 or drain-pipes similar to 38, 39, and 40,

whereby the linally treated or disintegrated sewage may be discharged from the respective compartments of the .last series of elements.

The shaft 10 of ythe system illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 may be Vdriven in any suitable manner. TheV shaft 10 is shown provided with a gear 41 which meshes with gears 42,

43 and 44; the gears 42,43, and 44 being tion as shown at 50 in Fig. 2 transmitting power to the shaft 35, which latter transmits power to the drum 30 by means of gearing 33 and 34. It willbe understood, of course, that the method of transmitting power to all of the elements of the final series may be identical with that just described.

In Figs. 4 and 5, I show a modified form of my invention wherein the third series of elements shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are omitted; the construction or system, however, in other respects being substantially identical with that previously described and shown in the previous figures. In this construction, the basin B" is provided with the circular inner walls or partitions 6 and 7 with the sewage discharging by conduit A onto a turbine 134, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, while the shaft 10u isshown differently mounted and provided with pulley 12. The tank B is also provided with three compartments and, therefore, I provide three auxiliary basins or elements C4, D4, and E4, as clearly shown in F igfl, which are connected with the separate compartments of B by means of pipes 18, 184, and 184, provided with suitable shutoff valves. The final elements C4, D4, and E4, are identical in construction, and con sist of suitable basins vprovided with concentric walls 51, 52, and 53, see Fig. 5. Mounted within the inner compartment formed by wall 53, I provide the cylindrical sheet iron drum or tank 30"l having closed tops as indicated at 54, see Fig. 5, and these tops 54C are provided with downwardly eX- tending` cylindrical partitions 364 and 37a; the partitions being of different length, as clearly indicated in Fig. 5. The material is fed to the respective tanks by a feed pipe 55 which is centrally located and eX- tends downwardly through the top 54C; and the feed pipe 55 communicates with a conduit 184 whereby the material is fed from a compartment iin the @initial separator las clearly shown. In the construction illustrated, the tops 5e of the separating elements C4, D4, and E4 are intended to loosely fit the top of the drums or tanks 30n so that the latter may revolve independent of the cover, and this I accomplish by means of the power shaft 57 which may have bearing in the feed pipe 55, with the lower end of the shaft secured to the bottom of the tank or drum 30 so that the latter will revolve with the shaft; the upper end of the shaft being provided with a suitable pulley or wheel as indicated at 58, which may receive a belt driven by any suitable source of power. The drums or cylindrical tanks 30a are provided with a suitable number of ports or openings:v

near the upper portion thereof as indicated at 384. The covers 54; of the tanks or drums 304l are provided with outlets or conduits 39a and 4.04; the conduit 394 communicates with the interior of thetank 304L at a point intermediate of partitions 36a and 374 which depend from the cover 54, while the outer end of conduit 394 is adapted to discharge into the compartment formed by walls 51 and 52. The conduit 40 is connected with cover 54: so as to communicate with the interior of tank 304 at a point intermediate of feed pipe 55 and partition 364; while the outer or discharge end of conduit 40 discharges into the chamber intermediate of walls 52 and 53 of the outer basin. The conduits 39a and 404 are shown provided with suitable valves as at 59, 59, whereby the flow through'the conduits may be controlled.

The units C4, D4, and E4, are intended to treat different portions of the initially separated or disintegrated sewage and for that reason the different units are supplied through conduits communicating with different compartments of the initial separator B. For example, the unit C4, as illustrated in Fig. et, is intended to treat the heavier particles of sewage which has been disintegrated and thrown into the outer compartment of tank B', namely the compartment formed by the outer wall of the' tank and the partition G; the unit D4 receiving the liquid or lighter portion of the disintegrated sewage by means of feed pipe or conduit 184 which communicates with the inner compartment of tank B formed by the partition 7; and the element or unit E4 receives the disintegrated sewage of a specific gravity intermediate of that of the sewage conveyed to unit C4 and D4, which is done vby the conduit 1S which, in this instance, communicates with the compartment of tank D intermediate of concentric walls or partitions 6 and 7. Each of the tanks or compartments formed by walls 51,

andL 53, are preferably provided with youtlets. 60, 61, and 62, whereby the finally treated. `or disintegrated sewage may either be conveyed to the settling tanks 'or other portions of a sewa purification plant, or to any desiredpoint.

It is evident that with a system as shown and described, a thorough disintegration or separationy of sewage may be obtained through the action of centrifugal force induced primarily by the revolutions of` gyl* rators or turbines and finally, preferably through the action of the revolving cylinders or drums, the revolution of the gyrators and drums being induced through the application of power from any suitable source.

I have shown and described what I believe to be the best forms of my invention, but itis apparent that the system may be modified in certain respects without, however, departing from the spirit of the invention; I do' not wish to be understood, therefore, as limiting myself to the exact construction shown and described.

What I claim is V In a system for separating sewage, a basin provided with a series of concentrically arranged chambers, each of which is provided with a controllable discharge, a revolubly mounted closed tank placed within the inner chamber of the basin, said tank being provided with concentrically arranged partitions depending from the upper end of the tank, the successive partitions beter toward the sides thereof, an axially arment intermediate of the depending partiranged conduit extending through the top tions of the tank may be separately drained` of said tank and arranged to deliver the to a compartment of the basin.

sewage to be treated eoncentrieally at a JOHN P. BALL. point in proximity to the lower end of the Witnesses:

innermost depending partition, and means S. V. MGCARTHY,

whereby the upper end of each compart- F. C. JONES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

